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No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF)

No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) is a status that applies to non-UK nationals who have no entitlement to welfare benefits, social housing or UK Government asylum support and/or are subject to UK Government immigration control. 

Who can apply

NRPF applies to a range of categories of migrants and asylum seekers, including:

  • people granted leave to remain but without recourse to public funds
  • people who originally arrived in the UK on a visa and have subsequently applied to remain in the UK
  • people unlawfully present in the UK (including those with expired visas)
  • people on student visas
  • refused asylum seekers whose appeal rights are exhausted
  • some European Economic Area (EEA) migrants

Our responsibilities to people who have NRPF

Along with other local authorities, Southwark Council has a statutory duty to provide support to people with leave to remain but no recourse to public funds, those who have an assessed care need or families where the children are destitute or at risk of being destitute. The council may still have a duty to provide support to other categories of migrants and asylum seekers where failure to do so would result in a breach of certain human rights. Assessed social care needs can include care needs arising from old age, mental or physical ill-health, being pregnant or having responsibility for children who are homeless or at risk of being homeless.

How to apply

Referrals for support for people and families with NRPF should be made by completing the online NRPF Referral and Consent Form.

Once a referral has been received we will contact the applicant to discuss the referral and if appropriate book an appointment.

At the appointment the NRPF team will undertake a detailed assessment to review the specific circumstances of an individual or family using the relevant social care, immigration and human rights legislation.

During the assessment people seeking support from the council will need to provide a number of documents, for more information see our assessment checklist (docx, 19kb).

Make a referral

Useful information

The NRPF Network website provides information and guidance on NRPF to local authorities and the public .

Page last updated: 17 December 2020

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